After winning the WWF Title, André sold the belt to Ted DiBiase. However, this was deemed illegal by WWF President Jack Tunney, who vacated the belt. Also, TV viewers didn’t get to see the finish of the tag team match, as NBC signed off before the end

Title Changes

2001 – on Nitro, Rick Steiner defeats Shane Douglas to win the WCW United States Title

2002 – on Smackdown, Maven defeats The Undertaker to win the WWF Hardcore Title

Birthdays

Happy birthday to current TNA Knockouts Champion Madison Rayne (26)

Also, today would have been the birthday of one half of the first WWWF Tag Team Champions ‘Crazy’ Luke Graham (72)

In Memoriam

Today, in 1984, the wrestling world lost Mexican superstar El Santo. He was 66. Santo’s career started in the mid-30’s, but it wasn’t until 1942 that he became El Santo, having wrestled under several other masked gimmicks beforehand. Santo would go on to become perhaps the most famous wrestler in Mexican history, winning multiple championships and, in the 50s, branching out into TV, movie and comic book appearances. Around this time, he also began a legendary feud with Blue Demon, over Santo’s unmasking of Demon’s friend Black Shadow. He retired from wrestling (and the media) in 1982, after a two month farewell tour, which also served to introduce his son ‘El Hijo Del Santo’ to wrestling audiences. In January 1983, Santo appeared on the Mexican TV show ‘Contrapunto’ and, totally without warning, removed his mask to show his face to his fans – the only documented case of Santo removing his mask in public. One week after this appearance, Santo died of a heart attack. It is testament to his fame that Santo’s funeral was one of the biggest in Mexican history